Carbohydrates are important for a balanced diet and should therefore not be missing. Carbohydrates make up a large part of our food and provide us with energy.
They are an important factor in whether we want to lose or gain weight. Many diets, such as the low-carb diet, are based on them.
What are carbohydrates?
Foods of animal or plant origin contain various types of nutrients. These are categorized as either micronutrients or macronutrients.
The group of micronutrients includes vitamins and minerals. Carbohydrates, along with fats and proteins, are classified as macronutrients.
But while fats and proteins mainly serve as building materials in the body, carbohydrates serve as an energy supplier for the body and brain. Carbohydrates are made up of sugar molecules. In addition to fructose and galactose, glucose is particularly important. A certain amount of glucose in the blood increases the amount of blood sugar. Glycogen is replenished.
So when we eat carbohydrates, our blood sugar level rises. The pancreas then simultaneously releases insulin to transport the glucose from the blood into the body's cells.
This lowers the blood sugar level again. The German Nutrition Society recommends that about 50 percent of our daily nutritional energy should come from carbohydrate-rich foods.
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Long-chain complex carbohydrates in brief
These are also called multiple sugars, complex carbohydrates, polysaccharides or oligosaccharides. They are found, for example, in potatoes and legumes.
Oat flakes also contain long-chain carbohydrates. That's why porridge or muesli made from oats is ideal for a healthy breakfast. Oligosaccharides consist of long chains of sugar molecules. It takes longer for the body to break them down and process them. That's why these carbohydrates are also called slow carbohydrates.
Short-chain, fast carbohydrates explained
These are also called monosaccharides (simple sugars ) or disaccharides (two-fold sugars). These simple carbohydrates are mainly found in sweets and fruit – but also in white flour products. The best known and probably most important are dextrose (also called glucose, e.g. in grapes) and fructose (also called fruit sugar, in most types of fruit). Since they consist of only one or a few sugar molecules, the body can process them faster. These carbohydrates therefore give the body quick energy, but the resulting energy boost also quickly flattens out. The disaccharides include sucrose (which our household sugar consists of), lactose (the milk sugar in dairy products) or maltose.
Advantages of carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are important and valuable energy suppliers for the human body. In addition, carbohydrates are the most important source of energy for our brain and our red blood cells.
If the body cannot access this energy from carbohydrates, it has to get this energy from the muscles. Thus, the musculature is broken down to produce energy.
In addition to fats and proteins, carbohydrates are therefore one of the three most important macronutrients in our diet. The great advantage of carbohydrates is that they provide our body with important energy.
List of long-chain and short-chain carbohydrates
The following is a list of examples of long-chain and short-chain carbohydrate sources.
Foods that contain long-chain, complex carbohydrates include:
- Rice (brown rice is preferable to white rice), corn, millet
- Wholemeal pasta
- Wholemeal bread
- Wholegrain cereals and wholemeal products, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Nuts
- Dried fruit
- Oat flakes
- Legumes (such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc.)
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Foods that contain short-chain, fast carbohydrates are:
- Many types of fruit and vegetables
- Juices
- Sweet drinks/sodas
- Dextrose
- Honey
- White bread
- Jam
- Sweets
- Baked goods
- Syrup
- Caramel
- Yogurt
- Energy bars
Incidentally, animal-based foods such as fish or meat are not very high in carbohydrates. They mainly contain fat or protein.
Which carbohydrates should I eat?
For a healthy diet, you should mainly eat good carbohydrates – i.e. long-chain carbohydrates. Since these consist of several building blocks, they are more complex to digest than the short-chain alternative. This means that the body stays full for longer. Cravings can be avoided. What's more, more energy is burned when these carbohydrates are digested.
Short-chain carbohydrates are digested faster because fewer chain links have to be broken down. Therefore, the blood sugar level rises faster. However, you only stay full for a short time, and hunger quickly returns. Because of this, you are tempted to eat more and more often. The result is that you quickly gain weight. So you shouldn't eat them in large quantities.
You should therefore try as hard as possible to distinguish between good and bad carbohydrates. But be careful! Not all long-chain carbohydrates are automatically healthy. You can also gain weight from them if you eat them in too large a quantity.
At the same time, there are also foods with short carbohydrate chains that can still be eaten in moderation. These include fruit, for example. The valuable vitamins contained in fruit are also important for our body.
Whether you lose or gain weight is not directly determined by the type of carbohydrates, but by how many calories you consume in a day. However, oligosaccharides can help keep the number of calories low because they make you feel fuller for longer. Overall, it can be said that you should choose long-chain carbohydrates such as potatoes, legumes or whole grain products over short-chain carbohydrates such as sugary foods.
Tip: If you want to find out the effect of a carbohydrate-containing food on blood sugar levels, you can look it up using the glycemic index (GI). The calculated value indicates how your blood sugar level rises when you consume the food.
In general, long-chain carbohydrates have a low glycemic index, while it is usually relatively high for short-chain sugar molecules.
When is it best to eat carbohydrates?
You should eat carbohydrates in the morning. This will give your body energy right at the start of the day, allowing you to get off to a flying start. This is because physical activity is often at its highest in the morning. A healthy breakfast of oats or porridge in the morning is therefore optimal and one of the most important sources of energy – it provides the perfect basis for the day.
With a breakfast from Verival, you are supporting your body with important long-chain carbohydrates and other vitamins and nutrients. This guarantees you an optimal start to the day. Feel free to visit our website for inspiration. We have a wide range of oat meals to offer, including porridge and muesli varieties. We also have vegan and gluten-free breakfast options. This makes it easy for you to eat healthily and lose weight.
Incidentally, a healthy adult can consume around 120 grams of carbohydrates if they want to maintain their weight. If you want to lose weight, you should consume less than 100 grams of carbohydrates. It is important that complex carbohydrates make up a large proportion of this.
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Frequently asked questions
What are all long-chain carbohydrates?
Rice (brown rice is preferable to white rice), corn, millet, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, whole grain cereals and whole grain products, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat, potatoes and sweet potatoes, nuts, dried fruit, oats, legumes (such as lentils, beans, chickpeas,...). All these foods provide you with valuable complex, i.e. long-chain carbohydrates. They should be a big part of your diet!
Why are long-chain complex carbohydrates better?
Long carbohydrate chains - i.e. complex carbohydrates - take longer to be broken down by the body. This keeps you full longer and provides your body with sufficient and lasting energy. This also helps you lose weight, as you won't be constantly plagued by food cravings – which tend to occur when you only eat quick-release, short-chain carbohydrates to quickly satisfy your hunger.
What are long-chain and short-chain carbohydrates?
Long-chain carbohydrates are also called complex carbohydrates, polysaccharides or oligosaccharides. They are found, for example, in potatoes and legumes. Long-chain carbohydrates are also contained in oat flakes. That's why porridge or muesli made from oats is ideal for a healthy breakfast. Oligosaccharides consist of long chains of sugar molecules. That's why it takes longer for the body to process them – they keep us feeling full for longer. Short-chain carbohydrates are also called monosaccharides (simple sugars ) or disaccharides (two-fold sugars). These simple carbohydrates are mainly found in sweets and fruit, but also in white flour. The best known and probably most important are dextrose (also called glucose, found in grapes, for example) and fructose (found in most fruits). Since they consist of only one or a few sugar molecules, the body can process them faster – but they do not fill you up. Disaccharides include sucrose (which is what our household sugar consists of), lactose (the milk sugar in the milk of mammals) and maltose.
What are the healthiest carbohydrates?
These are always complex, i.e. long-chain carbohydrates. You can find a list of foods that contain them here: Rice (brown rice is preferable to white rice), corn, millet, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, whole grain cereals and whole grain products, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat, potatoes and sweet potatoes, nuts, dried fruit, oats, legumes (such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc.). The human body needs more time to break down these complex carbohydrate chains. This is healthy and ensures a long-lasting feeling of satiety.
Which fruits have long-chain carbohydrates?
Most fruits contain only short-chain carbohydrates such as glucose (also called grape sugar, found in grapes, for example) and fructose (also called fruit sugar, found in fruit). There are a few exceptions, such as avocados and bananas that are still slightly green and therefore a little unripe. These also contain complex carbohydrates.
Are oats bad carbohydrates?
Absolutely not! Oats are one of the good carbohydrates. They contain long-chain, complex carbohydrates. That is also the reason why they are such a great way to fill up and should not be missing from any breakfast table. In addition, they contain many other valuable ingredients (such as vitamins, iron ,...)
Are potatoes good or bad carbohydrates?
Potatoes – and sweet potatoes too – contain complex carbohydrates. Potatoes contain fewer calories than pasta or rice. The tuber is low in fat but provides starch, fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Potatoes are therefore clearly a source of good carbohydrates.
Are oats complex carbohydrates?
Yes! Oats are a complex carbohydrate. They contain long-chain carbohydrates, which are good carbohydrates. That's why they are such a great way to fill up and should not be missing from any breakfast table. They also contain many other important ingredients (such as vitamins, iron, fiber...).
Why are complex carbohydrates better?
Because the body needs more time to break down the long-chain structures, all foods that contain complex carbohydrates keep you feeling fuller for much longer and keep your blood sugar level at a consistent level over a longer period of time. That's why complex carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet. They help you to stay in good shape.
Are complex carbohydrates healthy?
Yes – because these carbohydrates – also known as multi- or long-chain carbohydrates – cannot be immediately converted into glucose by the body. This makes them a much more valuable source of energy for the body than simple carbohydrates.
Is spelt a complex carbohydrate?
Yes – the ancient grain spelt is rich in complex carbohydrates and good (unsaturated) fatty acids. Spelt, especially the whole grain variety, provides a lot of energy and keeps you full for a long time. Spelt is also richer in protein and vitamins than wheat and is much better tolerated. Spelt is therefore an excellent source of complex carbohydrates!
What are complex carbohydrates?
Particularly valuable complex carbohydrates are found in: rice (brown rice is preferable to white rice), corn, millet, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, whole grain cereals and whole grain products, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat, potatoes and sweet potatoes, nuts, dried fruit, oats, legumes (such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc.);
Are complex carbohydrates good?
Carbohydrates are important and valuable energy suppliers for the human body. In addition, carbohydrates are the most important source of energy for our brain and our red blood cells. If the body cannot access this energy from carbohydrates, it has to get this energy from the muscles. Thus, the musculature is broken down for energy. In addition to fats and proteins, carbohydrates are therefore one of the three most important macronutrients in our diet. The great advantage of carbohydrates is that they provide our body with important energy. You should make sure that you eat mainly complex carbohydrates. Oligosaccharides (complex carbohydrates) consist of long chains of sugar molecules. Therefore, it takes longer for the body to break them down and process them. That's why these carbohydrates are also called slow carbohydrates. They are good for your body.
What are fast and slow carbohydrates?
Slow carbohydrates are: rice (brown rice is preferable to white rice), corn, millet, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, whole grain cereals and whole grain products, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat, potatoes and sweet potatoes, nuts, dried fruit, oats, legumes (such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc.); Fast carbohydrates are: many types of fruit and vegetables, juices, sweet drinks/lemonades, glucose, honey, white bread, jam, sweets, baked goods, syrup, caramel, yoghurt, energy bars ,...;
Are oats fast carbohydrates?
No! Oats belong to the so-called complex carbohydrates. They contain long-chain, i.e. slow carbohydrates. This is also the reason why they are such great fillers and should not be missing from any breakfast table. In addition, they contain many other important ingredients (such as vitamins, iron, fiber...). The carbohydrates in oats are slowly absorbed into the bloodstream and your blood sugar level remains constantly elevated for a longer period of time.
When do fast carbohydrates work?
These are also called monosaccharides (simple sugars) or disaccharides (two-fold sugars). These simple carbohydrates are mainly found in sweets and fruit – but also in white flour products. The best known and probably most important are dextrose (also called glucose, e.g. in grapes) and fructose (also called fruit sugar, in most types of fruit). Since they only consist of one or a few sugar molecules, the body can process them faster. These carbohydrates therefore give the body quick energy, but the resulting energy boost also quickly flattens out. The disaccharides include sucrose (which our household sugar consists of), lactose (the milk sugar in dairy products) and maltose.
Are bananas fast carbohydrates?
Yes! Bananas contain short-chain carbohydrates, which give you quick energy. If you are on a mountain hike or running a race, for example, a banana can quickly give you power because it quickly raises your blood sugar level. Bananas also contain many vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that are good for our body. In the long term, however, you should also get additional complex carbohydrates if you need energy over a long period of time.
Which carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly?
All foods with a so-called high glycemic index, for example white bread and white flour products, cause blood sugar to rise faster. Sugar, glucose, honey, sweets, sugar-sweetened drinks and fruit juices cause blood sugar to rise the fastest and should only be consumed in moderation.
Are oats fast carbohydrates?
No! Oats are a complex carbohydrate. They contain long-chain, i.e. good carbohydrates. That is why they are such a great way to fill up and should not be missing from any breakfast table. They also contain many other important ingredients (such as vitamins, iron, fiber...). Oats are a real superfood and, unlike fast carbohydrates, they keep you full and energized for a long time. With 58.7 g per 100 g, they provide you with plenty of complex carbohydrates!
